Blissful Comfort – Pear Coffee Cake

As a baker, I am reluctant to let go of certain sacrosacnt ingredients. Eggs is one of those precious commodities. Then a colleague who is gluten and egg-free asked me if I could convert a coffee cake recipe so she could enjoy, too. I recalled that, back in the days when I owned the Gluten-Free Pantry, I had made many recipes where I replaced eggs with silken tofu, flax gel (1 tablespoon flax meal with 3 tablespoons of hot water) or even with applesauce. I dug out my favorite coffee cake recipe, already gluten-free, and went to work. The results were delicious.

This stunning coffee cake uses soy (or coconut) yogurt and pear puree. The yogurt adds back some of the protein from the eggs and the pear puree, like applesauce, contains pectin which tenderizes the cake. I added a little bit more baking powder to help it rise, usually another job done by the eggs.

This is comfort food at its best and begs for a cup of coffee or tea. I also like to make this with apples and applesauce.

Combine the yogurt, vegetable oil, and pear puree in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Fold in chopped fruit.

Spoon half the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan and smooth to the edges of the pan. Cover with half of the crumb mixture. Spoon the remaining batter over the crumb topping and smooth to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining topping over the top.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean and center springs back when gently touched.

Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the rim of the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Serve.

2 Comments

JOYCE REGANsays:

You provide the most delicious recipes for gluten-free baking and cooking. My daughter gave me your Gluten-Free Makeovers cookbook for my birthday. I use it all the time. Thank you for taking on the challenging task of making everyday food gluten-free foods good!